The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) that woke up belatedly to fill potholes and craters on National Highway 75 between BC Road and Addahole has been executing the work haphazardly, road users have said.
NHAI took up four-laning work on NH 75 between BC Road and Addahole in Dakshina Kannada district and Maranahalli and Hassan in Hassan district in 2017. With contractors chosen for the work walking out for different reasons, NHAI was hardly able to maintain the existing two-lane highway in a motorable condition.
As pothole-filling work carried out during the summer gave way even before the monsoon season, the entire stretch was filled with potholes and craters, with road users crying hoarse. The authority began repair works in November laying fresh coats of bitumen on select stretches of the highway.
Harish Mambady, a resident of Bantwal, said that the stretch between Melkar and Uppinangady has been pathetic with multiple potholes and craters remaining unattended to. The worst part is that the carriageway at many locations is too high from the road shoulder thereby making driving a miserable experience, he said.
Gopal Pai Mani, a native of Mani village, said that only namesake pothole filling was done along the stretch. Neither the NHAI nor the elected representatives were concerned about motorists as well as the importance of the highway connecting the port town with the State capital. Thousands of goods vehicles, including container trucks, operate on the stretch with great difficulty, he said.
Mr. Mambady further said that even fresh bitumen-coated stretches do not offer a pleasant driving experience. Differences between layers at their joining points give a jolting experience to drivers and passengers, he lamented.
During a ride on the stretch of the highway between BC Road and Narahari Parvatha Junction on Sunday, it was found that the stretch from BC Road to Melkar was given a fresh coat of bitumen. From Melkar till Narahari Parvatha Junction, the highway was in a pathetic condition.
